1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to boat safety accessories for boaters. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a propeller protection shield for boaters and a method of use thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal boating is a popular activity in many bodies of water, like lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. Different types of drive assemblies are available for propelling personal watercraft. For example, an outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft. A sterndrive or inboard/outboard drive (I/O) is a form of marine propulsion which combines inboard power with outboard drive. The engine sits just forward of the transom while the drive unit (outdrive) lies outside the hull. The IO drive assembly may be desired as it places the propeller unit in a position spaced apart from the boat transom and in a substantially unobstructed position. This can be compared to prior propulsion systems having a shaft located through a boat hull with the propeller unit located under the boat and away from the transom.
No matter what type of drive, most personal watercraft incorporate a propeller for propelling the boat. Boat propellers, like fans, push water to propel the boat. As the propeller blades rotate, each blade edge cuts through the water, forcing the water over the curved surface of each blade. This action channels or redirects the water, imparting the directional drive needed to propel the boat forward or backward. As such, it is readily understood that for the most optimum performance and efficiency of boat propellers, the blades should have sharp razor-like edges.
Any contact with any edge of these sharp propeller blades can cause injuries extending from relatively minor lacerations or cuts to relatively more serious trauma or slashes.
When the watercraft is parked on a beach or anchored for swimming, regardless of the drive type, i.e. whether outboard, I/O, etc., the propeller of the drive unit typically remains submerged in the water. Experienced boaters or swimmers may be aware of the sharpness of the propeller blade and location of the propeller, and thus may know the areas not to swim behind the boat. However, non-experienced boaters and swimmers, especially children, may not understand the sharpness of the propeller blade and/or the location of the propeller. Thus, it should be readily understood that in a recreational setting, this combination of a submerged propeller with dangerously sharp edges presents a serious safety hazard to boaters, especially with children, who often venture too near a submerged propeller of an anchored or beached personal watercraft.
As a specific example, for persons entering or exiting a boat during recreational swimming, entrance and exit of the boat may typically be made by a ladder or step located directly off of the back of the boat and just above or beside the propeller. This obviously presents a potentially dangerous situation because the location of the submerged propeller and the primary pathway to enter and exit the boat are so close together.
Currently there are a few devices designed to encase the engine with the propeller and/or just the propeller. However, these products are very difficult and time consuming to install and/or be removed. In addition, the currently available products are bulky, heavy and/or difficult to store inside or on the desired personal watercraft.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a recognizable unmet need for a device that provides protection from the propeller for boaters while being easy to install, easy to remove, is lightweight, and can be easily stored on or in a boat.